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< 16ga. General Discussion ~ First go around with 16 ga. Steel shot |
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Posted:
Sun Nov 26, 2017 7:33 pm
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Joined: 16 Jul 2015
Posts: 2127
Location: Hudson,Wy
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Well my friends, this morning I finally got around to using the 16 ga. for something other than upland work. The morning went rather well considering the fact that only one flock of geese came into the decoys. It was a case of them deciding to go elsewhere for reasons unknown.
At any rate, two shots of #1 steel went down range and two little honkers bit pasture hard. A lone duck recieved the same dose from the left barrel of the Lefever. I also managed to call in a fox, he recieved both barrels since the first didn't quite finish the task at hand (application of posterior motivation on behalf of the first round).
This is all very reassuring since some places I will hunt in Kansas this week do indeed require steel for upland and there is a good build up of geese as well. Might as well be prepared.
[[URL=http://www.jpgbox.com/page/52989_1024x683/]
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_________________ Only catch snowflakes on your tongue AFTER the birds fly south for the winter... |
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Posted:
Sun Nov 26, 2017 7:40 pm
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Member
Joined: 15 Apr 2007
Posts: 9472
Location: Amarillo, Texas
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Awesome post
What year on the shotgun?
What chokes?
What ammo?
Thank you
Mike |
_________________
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USAF RET 1971-95 |
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Posted:
Sun Nov 26, 2017 7:51 pm
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Joined: 16 Jul 2015
Posts: 2127
Location: Hudson,Wy
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Have not looked up the manufacture date. Fluid steel barrels. I altered the barrels: long forcing cones and opened the right choke up to .006". The left barrel still measures .023", which as a combo fits my needs well.
Ammo consisted of 7/8 oz. recipe from BPI that called for buffer. I skipped the buffer since it adds 1,000- 2,500 psi depending on many variables and this load was listed at over 11,000 psi. I then backed the powder charge (Longshot) down by one grain. Still plenty potent. If I need more, well I have a 10 ga. |
_________________ Only catch snowflakes on your tongue AFTER the birds fly south for the winter... |
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Posted:
Thu Nov 30, 2017 2:04 pm
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Joined: 28 Apr 2017
Posts: 61
Location: Central Oklahoma
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Kudos to using the 16 gauge on Waterfowl. I have used the Longshot load you are referring to with the PT1680 wad for a couple seasons. I have taken many ducks and a few geese. Nice job! |
_________________ Gen 1:26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air,... |
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Posted:
Thu Nov 30, 2017 11:55 pm
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Joined: 13 Oct 2015
Posts: 348
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Awesome picture and post. Love it! |
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Posted:
Fri Dec 01, 2017 7:54 am
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Joined: 28 Apr 2017
Posts: 61
Location: Central Oklahoma
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Kudos to using the 16 gauge on Waterfowl. I have used the Longshot load you are referring to with the PT1680 wad for a couple seasons. I have taken many ducks and a few geese. Nice job! |
_________________ Gen 1:26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air,... |
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Posted:
Fri Dec 01, 2017 8:08 am
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Joined: 01 Oct 2007
Posts: 965
Location: Minnesota
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Mixed bag for sure.
Nice pic. |
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Posted:
Mon Dec 04, 2017 4:30 am
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Member
Joined: 17 Aug 2010
Posts: 472
Location: drummond island MI
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Nice Report. Just curious, Why shoot the Fox? |
_________________ shoot quick but take your time! |
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Posted:
Mon Dec 04, 2017 6:30 am
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Joined: 03 Sep 2014
Posts: 398
Location: Rochester, MN
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Nice performance with the 16 gauge and steel.
I too shoot a 16 gauge with steel for most of my waterfowl and upland game. I shoot a Stevens 5100 SxS and opened the barrels slightly.
One thing that I find surprising is that #1 steel performs very well on game through this gun. I use the BPI load with Steel powder at 1550 fps and do not use the buffer. (I have no idea why buffer would be used with steel shot.)
Anyway #1 steel is a very effective load and is really effective for shooting crippled birds on the water. I have never gotten #1 steel to perform well in my 12 gauge guns but in the 16 it is another story. I have no explanation for this. |
_________________ John Singer |
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Posted:
Tue Dec 05, 2017 8:13 am
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Member
Joined: 01 Dec 2005
Posts: 1550
Location: Minnesota and Florida
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Buffer with Steel and Other Very Hard Shot -- The Way I've Heard It -- i.e. I can't represent this as "The Facts" since I didn't do the tests and haven't seen quantitative test data from others:
Shot made with steel or other very hard material, such as the tungsten alloys (not tung-matrix) has a very high coefficient of restitution. Coefficient of restitution is the amount of the kinetic energy stays with objects that collide instead of basically turning into heat lost to the surroundings. One might measure coefficient of restitution by dropping a ball from a certain height and seeing how high it bounces back. The ratio of those heights would be the coefficient of restitution. A ratio of `1 means no energy was lost -- that's like perpetual motion -- never happens, but we can get close. You've seen those little pendulum toys with the steel balls that go swinging and clicking away for several seconds or minutes. What I've read (and I can't tell you where right now) is that in shotgun shooting, patterning of very hard shot is degraded by chaotic "bouncing around" of the shot on travel down the barrel and out the muzzle. Buffer is said to dampen those vibrations and settle the shot down to keep it together better as it "flows".
In the case of shot of soft materials - lead, tung-matrix, bismuth, etc - that are more deformable and have lower coefficients of restitution (hysteretic/visco-elastic), buffer is said to improve patterns by keeping shot from deforming during the "setback" event on ignition/launch -- a very different mechanism from the way buffer is said to work with steel, etc. |
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Posted:
Sat Dec 09, 2017 8:03 am
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Joined: 16 Jul 2015
Posts: 2127
Location: Hudson,Wy
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studdog wrote: |
Nice Report. Just curious, Why shoot the Fox?
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In hopes of getting a good pelt. I hunt fur too. Unfortunately, mange along the belly had pretty much rendered the pelt of no value. At least it may prevent the spread of mange to other animals. |
_________________ Only catch snowflakes on your tongue AFTER the birds fly south for the winter... |
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Posted:
Sat Dec 09, 2017 8:13 am
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Joined: 16 Jul 2015
Posts: 2127
Location: Hudson,Wy
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The verifiable reason behind buffering steel has long been that it helps prevent wad petal punctures and therefor alleviates some risk of barrel damage from direct contact. Unfortunately it also tends to increase choke strain due to the fact that pellets are not allowed to shift their positions around as easily.
I actually spray my steel with silicone spray when I transfer it from bags to storage bottles. This does 3 things. The pellets don't stick in the bottom of the wad. The shot experiences less bridging issues when going through the loader's drop tube. Finally, the pellets shift position (flow) easier when passing through the forcing cone and choke, thereby reducing strain and also the tendency of steel, as a material, to rebound due to energy transfers. It adds up to slightly better patterns, easier loading, and less wear and tear on my guns.
I specifically use silicone since I have never experienced problems with powder being dropped through the same tube. DO NOT USE OIL! That will cause much problem as oil will ruin the powder and I also imagine it would make a clogged mess in the drop tube. |
_________________ Only catch snowflakes on your tongue AFTER the birds fly south for the winter... |
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